The Red Survivor
by n3rd gurl
Summary: This story takes place before "The Darkest Minds". It is about a girl named Tara who cons people so she can survive. She has taught herself not to love, because you will always end up hurt. Tara runs into a group lead by Austin, who is falling for her. Tara plans on coning him as well, but cant leave him in the end.
1. Chapter 1

It was a rainy day. I knew what was going to happen. My parents were scared. Scared of me, of what I could do.

I had woken up one day, my skin boiling hot. I did research on what IAAN could do to people. I narrowed it down to what I was. A Red. I was a Red, and I couldn't control the fire that burned within me. I tried to think of calming things when I got mad or upset, but it was no use I couldn't hide it, not well enough, yet. I would control it I knew I could. I never gave up. I practiced every day until the PSF's came to get me. I could control it well enough that I hid it from them for 2 years. But my parents saw what I could do and turned me in. I don't blame them, I was a monster and I could destroy them, if I chose to. But I could keep myself from harming people. I could. It took me sleepless nights, but I mastered my powers, yet they turned me in anyway.

I let the soldiers lead me out into the rain. _Patience, _I told myself. My mother couldn't even look at me as I stared straight ahead and got onto the bus. My father on the other hand had looked at me with pity, and I hated it. I wasn't like most kids, I wasn't ashamed of my power, I was proud of it. I was proud of myself for controlling it and I was proud of the destruction I could do. However, I had never fully seen what I could do. The biggest thing I had done at my house was warm up a cup of hot chocolate. But I knew I could destroy them. I stepped onto the bus, the smell of blood, vomit, amd tears filled me.

_What are they doing? They have abilities, why not use them and run? _I looked at all there faces as I was marched to the back. I couldn't see bravery in anyone, only fear. I_t's not their fault. They haven't learned how to use it yet. They are too scared._ I moved to the back and sat down, the boy next to me looked up at me, and to my surprise smiled. _He is my only chance. He is not scared. _I smiled back and tilted my head toward the PSF. He understood and nodded.

He took a deep breath and stood up. The PSF marched toward him, yelling and pointing her gun at him, then stopped. She froze where she was. He had controlled her, gotten into her head. He is an Orange. The other PSFs looked back and aimed their weapons. I took action. I held up my hand and through a ball of fire it them. The bus rolled to a stop as the soldiers ran outside and rolled on the ground, putting out the flames. I ran to the door and jumped out of the bus, the boy right behind me. I ran for the woods, and that's when the shooting started. I heard the shots and still my feet moved forward. I made the mistake of looking back, I watched as the boy fell to the ground. The PSF there pointing the gun at me.

I sent him up it flames. He yelled and his gun clattered to the ground. I grabbed the hand gun and ran through the trees as bullets whizzed past me. I ran and ran for hours and hours, until finally, finally they gave up. I was free. They would come looking for me later, but they had a bus full of kids to take to camp. I was pleased with myself as I ran toward the Wal-Mart.

I would go in to the deserted store, get what I needed, then leave. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I would never stop running, ever. My best bet would be to stay here, in West Virginia. It was filled with mountains that I could hide in and make my own little camp. I would never stay in one place for too long, but the mountains are easy to hide in. So, I walked on and on and on. I was relieved when I saw the big store filled with the treasure I was seeking.

I stepped inside of the dark building. I scavenged the isles until I found a black backpack. I filled it with things like a toothbrush, a contact case, extra contacts, and other needed items. I changed out of my PJ's and into a long-sleeved, dark gray shirt with light gray sleeves and wholes for my thumbs to fit through. I put on a pair of dark jeans and black boots. I stuck the hand gun I had taken in the waste band of my pants and slid on a black leather jacket.

I then put a white t-shirt in the backpack and another pair of jeans. Once I had all this I filled the bag with junk food. I started heading out when I decided it would be best to stay the night here. I grabbed a pocket knife, a kitchen knife and a flashlight as I made my way to the back of the store. I sat down in the back corner and leaned my head against the wall. I pulled a blue blanket against me as the night air blew my direction. My eyes grew tired as I sloppily pulled my hair into a fishtail braid, and let it droop over my shoulder. Finally, the world disappeared, and I fell asleep.

* * *

><p>I awoke the next morning and brushed my teeth, put my contacts in, and freshened up. I packed everything up and ate a granola bar as I went out in the parking lot and started checking the cars. I was only 13 years old. Legally I couldn't drive, but I knew how to. Well I knew the basics at least. I was fortunate enough that a red truck had keys in it. I started the car and the gas tank was full. "Thank God." I whispered to myself. I tossed my bag in the seat next to me and pulled out of the parking lot. At first, I was terrified. I shook as I eased the car up to the stop sign. I got used to it, and eventually I was only sweating. I messed with the radio until the familiar ring of <em>Magic! <em>singing _Rude _came on.

As I drove my mind traveled back to getting off the bus, to letting the boy fall dead in the mud. He was the only person that stood up and helped, and he died. He died, because I was supposed to be helping him, like he helped me. How many PSFs had he taken out? More than me? And because he did these things that lead to my escape, he died. I shook my head clear of dreadful things like the kids I didn't help escape, and the camp they were at now, forever. "I am a terrible person." I whispered. I kept my eyes on the rode and sang with the radio as snow flurries fell.

I wasn't that worried of freezing. I was a Red. I wasn't usually cold. I drove through the night, and the day after that. I lost track of the days, but eventually the car ran out of gas and sputtered to a stop. I gathered my things and climbed out, abandoning the truck in the road. I started up the hill. Ready to start my life in the cold, bitter wilderness.


	2. Chapter 2

Two years later and I am still on the run. It was dark outside, I looked up at the sky from where I was sitting in a tree. My bag hung on a branch, it had gotten a lot heavier then when I first started out. It was times like this, alone, with nothing to bother me, that I let reality catch up to me. I couldn't help but think of all the kids I could've helped, but didn't. The lives I could've saved, but didn't. My parents. The camps. The people I steal from and run. I was a bad person, not just bad, I was the worst kind of person there was.

It was times like this when I just needed a hug, just needed someone to pat my back and tell me it was alright. It was hard going through this alone. I lived two years, tricking people into trusting me, just so I could take what they had and run. I lived two years, playing a part of a girl who couldn't love and didn't need comfort, but I did need comfort. It is what I want for then anything. I don't want to be alone, but I have to be if I want to survive. It is best not to love people, if you do love them that means you will have to take care of them and look out for them. If something does happen to them, well, that would be more then I could handle. So, in the end I was back to shutting everyone out, and fighting for myself, and only myself.

* * *

><p>The next morning I spotted a group of girls wondering around, clueless.<p>

"Trying to get yourselves killed?" I said as I inched near them.

They jumped in surprise as I said it. "Who are you? What do you want? Are you going to turn us in?"

I smiled as I leaned against a tree, taking in every word they said, every move they made. Three girls. One Yellow. Not sure about the others. I knew she was a Yellow because of the way she never let anyone touch her and she wore tight gloves with holes in the fingers. "I'm Tara. I just want to help you. And if I turned you in I would be turning myself in." The tallest girl with red thick hair was Orange. I could feel her trying to get into my head, but I had learned how to keeping them away. I had encountered quite a few Oranges in the past. "That isn't going to work, darlin'."

The Orange's eyes widened in shock. "How- but- what-"

"I am a very observant person." I looked at the Yellow girl as she held her chin up, her pig nose high in the air. The short girl was either a Green or Blue. She didn't twitch like most Reds. She didn't avoid touching people like Oranges and Yellows. I was too exhausted to think any more, so I just asked her. "What are you?"

She flinched and hid behind Pig Nose. She was too young for this, I thought. She doesn't deserve this, she should be able to live a normal life. "I wont hurt you, no need to hide behind a Yellow. She wont be of much use against me anyway."

"What are you?" The Orange moved between me and her friends, blocking my view of them.

"Cool it Strawberry, don't want to accidentally wipe someone's memory, do you?" Her face turned red with anger. I was doing this on purpose, I want to see what they are capable of.

"I have enough control over it."

"Maybe; but enough is not total control." At that I felt a little shock go through me, I turned my head to see Pig Nose, her hand around my wrist. "Is that all you've got? One little shock?" I was answered with another, bigger, shock. It was strong enough to bring me to my knees. "Careful; we don't want this to end badly."

"It won't end badly for me, I can't say the same thing for you." She glared at me as I stood and held my hands at my sides, palms up.

"Green," came a little shaky voice. And finally I had all that I needed. Now, to make friends with them and get them to talk about the camps they had come from.

"How long have you been out here like this?" I was asking Pig Nose, but Strawberry answered.

"Two weeks. We came from Thurmond. They were taking the Oranges away to be killed. The Yellows are being moved to another camp. The camp is now for Greens and Blues." I had never been inside a camp, but I had heard stories, and I never wanted to experience it.

"And the Reds?" I wanted to know what my fate would've been if I hadn't run. If I hadn't been strong enough to leave all the others behind in order to save my own skin.

"No one knows. I suspected they were killed with the Oranges." She shrugged as she took the Greens hand in her own.

"How did you get out?" I assumed they got out while they were being moved, considering that they were different colors. When the little girl flinched again I didn't push the question on them. I let them take food from my bag and helped build up a small camp. I didn't answer their questions about what I was or where I had come from, just avoided talking about it by directing the conversation back toward them.

Night came and they were too exhausted to keep watch through the night. I got up and took whatever useful things I could find in their bags. I put them in my own bag and trotted off through the night. I left them like I leave everyone, hopeless and bound to be caught.

They were more faces added to the list of people I had put in harm to save myself. I only let myself have five seconds of guilt, then I pushed them back into my mind, keeping them hidden forever.


	3. Chapter 3

I continued my game for a month, always stealing, making my life easier and their lives harder. I trudged along the road, my legs shaking from exhaustion. I spotted an old hotel and went to one of the blue doors. I picked its lock and went inside. I checked every inch of the room before throwing my self onto the bed to go to sleep.

I dreamed of a life when I was normal, when things were good and people were happy. I had nightmares of the camps and of kids being killed because of what they were. I t wasn't there fault, but there were dying for it. I then dreamed of not being alone, of having friends to push through this terrible life with me. I dreamed of the people who had helped my escape the bus and those who had helped me escape PSFs and skip tracers. I felt good, even if I was in a terrible world, always running, never stopping, at least someone was there with me, going through it with me. And that is what I wanted. I didn't want to give up my powers, I loved them. I didn't feel like nothing with them, I didn't feel useless. I part of me was happy this happened and that I got them, but another part of me was devastated that I had them, that all the kids were dying because of them.

I woke with a gasp, I bolted up and looked around my dark room. At first I thought I was crazy, but no, someone was in the room. I got out of bed, my hands ready at my sides. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my mouth, keeping me from screaming. I kicked out and around me trying to get free, when I realized no one was holding me physically, but with their mind. _Blue. _

I stopped struggling and fell to the floor. I let my body go limp, eventually the force released me, thinking I was unconscious. I felt someone next to me, I felt their breath on my neck as they leaned over me. I threw my fist up, hitting something solid. They person fell back and hit the dresser, making the lamp on it fall to the ground.

My hands went up in flames as I stood above my attacker. I took in his appearance as he looked up at me in defeat. He had dark brown, shaggy hair. My flames reflected in his deep brown eyes. He looked about fifteen, tall, strong, a few freckles on his face. Blood trailed down his cheek, he looked at me with hatred, and I returned the look more fiercely.

"Why are you here, Blue?" I kept my voice calm and even. Not taking my eyes of him.

"Same reason you steal from everyone you meet, _Red,_ just thought I would try it on you, see how you like it." He wiped the blood from his face, trying, and failing, at keeping his voice steady.

"How do you know me?"

"Sweetheart, everyone knows about you, and how you fool all your _friends_." He scrambled to his feet, but leaned against the wall for support. "Don't think anyone knew you were a Red though? Guess I'll have to tell 'em myself."

"Who sent you after me?" He knew me. He knew everything about me. All the things I've done, all those horrible things that I keep hidden in my mind. I started breathing hard as the memories of them, all of them, came flooding back to me. "Who sent you?" I said through my teeth. When he didn't answer I grabbed his neck and held him against the wall. "I'll kill you."

"Go ahead. I've got nothing to live for, no one will miss me, I wont miss anyone either." Like me. If I die, people wont even know. Or will they? He knows me, who else does? But he knows what it is like to be alone, with nobody to comfort you.

I released him and turned my back toward him, my fists clenched at my sides. "Calm down, Sweetheart, before you catch the building on fire."

"I can control it, the most I would do is twitch." Turning back to face him I asked, "Who sent you?"

"Myself. I came to give you a taste of your own medicine. I want to be known as 'The Hero That Brought Tara to Her Knees'. Has a nice ring to it."

Bile came up in my throat, I swallowed it down. Even the psi kids want me dead. I am an enemy to everyone. Would it be best if I were dead? I had ruined them all. I should be dead. I will let him be the hero. I have been doing this for as long as I can take. I am done being the villain of everyone, I will let him end me. "Do it." My voice shook as tears ran down my face. "I have been alone long enough, suffered long enough, pained others for long enough. Do every one a favor and get rid of me."

He stared at me in shock, he was expecting a fight, a duel to the death. He hadn't expected a surrender. "What?"

"Please do it, _please." _I had wanted more than anything to live before, but why would I want to live if I would be hated my whole life. It was useless, life was only going to get worse, and I didn't want to stick around for it. I closed my eyes as I felt a cool knife press against my throat. I waited and waited, the knife clattered to the ground. I opened my eyes and saw the boy facing the wall, head down.

"I won't do it if that's what you want, I will only do whatever will make you miserable. That's really why I came here."

"You-" I was furious with him. I picked up the knife and steadied my hands. I went to plunge it into my chest when I was shoved. The knife went into my shoulder instead, I let out a cry of pain as I fell onto the bed. _That Blue stopped me from ending it all. I would ruin him for this. _

I felt his hands pressing on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. The world spun and the last thing I saw was his worried face.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up to someone singing. I was in a car, the radio was on and that Blue boy was driving while singing along. I didn't open my eyes, just listened to his soft voice. I hated him, hated him so much, but his voice sent a strange, calming feeling through me. I finally sat up. He glanced over at me. "How's the arm?"

I looked down at it and saw the stiches. _He wants me to live, wants me to suffer for what I've done. _"Where are you taking me?"

"Normally I would dive you right off a cliff, but that would defeat the purpose of saving your life back there."

"Well, if I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life, at least tell me your name." I was back to myself. Right then, I turned back into the obnoxious, sarcastic, annoying, piece of crap I was. And I would drive him crazy, until finally he had enough with me and either kills me or abandons me on the side of the road.

"Austin." Silence. Then, "I got your bag by the way. It's in the back seat." I turned around, and sure enough, my bag was propped up nicely against the door. "Your welcome."

"I am not saying thank you. Ever. Now, tell me where we are going." I leaned back and put my feet up on the dashboard.

"Kansas. Sound fun?"

"Not really."

"Good. That's exactly what I want to hear." I sighed and leaned my head over on the arm rest. This was my life now, not only was I on the run, but I couldn't run where I wanted to.

"I have a better idea." I sat up and smiled at him. I had an idea that no one in their right mind could resist.

He looked over at me with curiosity and doubt, "Oh, and what is your idea?"

"Ever heard of East River?" He perked up at that. but he was trying to hide his curiosity without much luck. Not just anyone could find East River, and just like everybody else, he had been looking for it.

"What do you know about it? Do you know where it is?" He sounded hopeful. He finally gave up on covering his curiosity. He was so excited that he couldn't hide it. His smile was so bright and his face so alive I couldn't help but smile too.

"I made a few Blues tell me where it was located." He was glowing with joy.

"Where is it then?"

Now was my chance, and I was going to take it. "Let me drive and I will take us there."

"No, not a chance."

"Come-on. You've got nothing to loose, remember?" With great reluctance he traded me seats, giving me the wheel. I drove fast, really fast. Off to East River we go, and the sooner we got there, the sooner I could ditch Austin there and run away. My life would be back to normal. Back to the miserable ways of stealing and caring only for myself. Back to my game of life.

* * *

><p>It was late at night. I had just begun to cross a bridge. I glanced over at Austin, sound asleep. I was getting tired myself. I was thinking about a place to stop when a car pulled in front of me, causing me to stop the car. I was about to honk the horn when I saw a man get out. A PSF.<p>

"Austin." I grabbed his shoulder and shook. He woke up with a gasp and looked around, lost. "Austin. We have trouble." He looked at the officer and took in the moment. He cursed as the PSF took out a mini Calm Control machine and turned it on. We both yelled in pain, I pressed my face against the window, trying to shut it out. Focus. Now. Use your ability.

I waited for the PSF to open my door, my flaming palm grabbed his face. He fell to the ground clawing at his skin. I fell out of the car, the world spinning around me. I shot fire until it hit the machine and the noise stopped. I tried to vomit, but nothing came out. Focus. Get out of here.

I looked back at the car and another PSF was dragging Austin's limp body away. I stood, only to fall over again and smack my face on the blacktop. "Austin! Wake up!" I screamed his name, but he never moved. The PSF dragged toward his car. I couldn't shoot fire, I might hit Austin. "Please wake up." I whispered. I put my hands on my head and pulled at my hair. "_Please._ Don't let another person die because of me. I can't take it anymore!" He didn't move.

I tried to stand again and leaned against the car. I faced the car that the PSF was headed to. The car went up in flames with my cold stare. The officer dropped Austin and ran toward me with a raised gun. _I can't die. Not yet. I'm not ready, not yet. _I watched the officer burn. I sat and stared at the flames a while before getting up and limping over to Austin, and then half falling on top of him.

"Get up." I smacked his face. Again, again, again. Finally his eyelids fluttered open. "Come on we have to move."

"I can't- You- Why didn't you-" He was choking on his words.

"Austin I saved you because I am sick of leaving people to die. Now hurry up before I change my mind." I lifted him up. He slung an arm around my shoulders, most of his weight on me. I drug him to the car and he fell in the back seat. I ran around the car, got in, and drove as fast as I could. My exhaustion forgotten.

I had saved his life. I didn't have to, but I did. I was done letting people die so that I didn't have to risk my life. It was now die with a purpose or live with a purpose. I was going to protect these messed up kids that I put in harms way. I would save them. I would free them all. I would be the hero, after all.


End file.
